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Winner in Swamp takes control of East division

AP photo

By Robbie Andreu | Halifax Media Group

Published: Friday, October 19, 2012 at 05:00 PM.

GAINESVILLE — Other than Steve Spurrier, Florida and South Carolina have not had a whole lot in common over the years. That has changed. Hold a mirror up to the 2012 Gators, and the Gamecocks stare back.

These two teams aren’t identical twins. But close. They share many of the same features.

“A little bit,” said Spurrier, the former UF coach who is now the USC coach. “The way we usually play is we don’t throw more than 20-25 passes a game and try to run the ball, and play super defense and excellent special teams.

“I would think both teams are trying to do that. Our last game we didn’t do it very well in a lot of areas, but that seems to be the formula that a lot of SEC teams are going to. There’s all kind of ways to win as we know. The biggest way to win is don’t turn it over, be able to run the ball and play outstanding defense. That’s basically the way a lot of teams are trying to go about it.”

The similarity between the Gators and Gamecocks is striking.

They’re good running teams with a standout tailback and a versatile, athletic quarterback who makes plays with his legs. They’re strong on defense, especially against the run, and sound on special teams, where both have generated game-changing moments this season.

Statistically, they’re basically in a dead heat. They actually are in total offense, with both teams averaging 378.3 yards a game. They’re close to identical on defense. The Gators are allowing 297.2 yards (107.5 rushing, 189.7 passing) and the Gamecocks 296.3 (108.7 rushing, 187.6 passing).

GAINESVILLE — Other than Steve Spurrier, Florida and South Carolina have not had a whole lot in common over the years. That has changed. Hold a mirror up to the 2012 Gators, and the Gamecocks stare back.

These two teams aren’t identical twins. But close. They share many of the same features.

“A little bit,” said Spurrier, the former UF coach who is now the USC coach. “The way we usually play is we don’t throw more than 20-25 passes a game and try to run the ball, and play super defense and excellent special teams.

“I would think both teams are trying to do that. Our last game we didn’t do it very well in a lot of areas, but that seems to be the formula that a lot of SEC teams are going to. There’s all kind of ways to win as we know. The biggest way to win is don’t turn it over, be able to run the ball and play outstanding defense. That’s basically the way a lot of teams are trying to go about it.”

The similarity between the Gators and Gamecocks is striking.

They’re good running teams with a standout tailback and a versatile, athletic quarterback who makes plays with his legs. They’re strong on defense, especially against the run, and sound on special teams, where both have generated game-changing moments this season.

Statistically, they’re basically in a dead heat. They actually are in total offense, with both teams averaging 378.3 yards a game. They’re close to identical on defense. The Gators are allowing 297.2 yards (107.5 rushing, 189.7 passing) and the Gamecocks 296.3 (108.7 rushing, 187.6 passing).

The Gators and Gamecocks have one more thing in common: a strong and burning desire to win the Eastern Division and advance to the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta in December.

It’s a huge game for two teams that basically look the same and play the same.

“Campus seems a little bit fired up right now with South Carolina and Coach Spurrier coming back, you know, and GameDay being here,” UF senior defensive tackle Omar Hunter said. “It’s definitely a different feeling going around campus.”

It’s a big-game feeling, as it should be.

The winner of this game will take command in the Eastern Division race. A USC victory would come close to clinching the title because it would give the Gamecocks the tie-breaker edge over Florida and Georgia. A Gator win would leave UF as the only team in the division without a loss with two conference games (Georgia and Missouri) remaining.

“We realize it’s an extremely important game down there in The Swamp,” Spurrier said. “Hopefully, our guys will be ready to play their best one of the year.

“Florida, obviously, is playing very well. They’ve got a lot of momentum going. But again, it’s a huge game for both teams.”

The Gators gained much of their momentum with an emotional 14-6 victory over No. 3 LSU two weeks ago. The Gamecocks lost some of their momentum to that same LSU team a week ago in a 23-21 loss in Baton Rouge.

Despite that loss, and the fact that star tailback Marcus Lattimore could be limited (or maybe even out) with a bruised hip, the Gators know exactly what they’re up against today — a team that’s a lot like theirs.

“Their football team is a little similar to ours in running the ball and playing really good defense and winning the kicking game,” UF coach Will Muschamp said. “Connor Shaw, their quarterback, is just a winner, a guy that creates plays with his legs. Marcus Lattimore is a phenomenal football player.

“Defensively, Jadeveon Clowney and Devin Taylor are ends you’ve got to account for or they’ll make you have a long day. (USC) has probably the best cornerback combination we’re faced this year. Ace Saunder is averaging 17 yards a punt return. An outstanding football team.”

The goals today will be the same for the Gamecocks and Gators: run the ball on offense; stop the run on defense.

“That’s what we’re going to need to do if we’re going to have a chance to win the game,” Spurrier said. “We’re going to have to stop their running game and they’ll probably tell you the same thing. They’ve got to stop us from running and get us throwing more often than we’d like to.”

Spurrier, of course, is always a prominent part of the story when Florida and South Carolina play, especially when the game is in The Swamp, the stadium Spurrier named back when he was winning SEC titles with the Gators.

But with this being such a big and important game on its own, the Spurrier-returns-to-The-Swamp story has faded a little bit this week.

“I don’t think it’s much of a storyline now that it’s eight years we’ve played each other and the fourth time I’ve been down there coaching,” Spurrier said. “I guess it’s a little unusual to be on the other team when you come into the ballpark and your names is on the wall up there.

“But I think everybody handles it very well. It’s our team against their team. This is a game between the players. Us coaches, we just try to direct them a little bit. These players are pretty much going to decide who wins this thing.”

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